January 4th The Cannabis Alliance hosted the 5th Annual Washington Cannabis Summit where innovators, educators, and advocates from around the country gathered for a day of progressive, solution-focused conversation. We challenged each other to look at where the industry is now, where it’s headed, and what our roles and responsibilities are in order to ensure a sustainable future for cannabis.

This year, at The Summit, Governor Jay Inslee announced his Marijuana Justice Initiative which will provide pardons for individuals with misdemeanor marijuana possession convictions on their record.

Legislative session kicked off on January 14th and The Cannabis Alliance held their annual Lobby Day on the 15th. There were 48 participants and more than 30 meetings held throughout the day. Thank you to all those who came out for these events!

The Cannabis Advisory Council met on Jan 16. Alliance Board President, Danielle Rosellison was at the table representing the membership discussing Social Equity, (or the lack thereof), Small Business Solutions that would include better communication, clear regulatory priorities, and fact based decision making, Board Interim Policies (BIP) and Emergency Rules, Oversupply and so much more.

In mid January, bills Concerning misdemeanor marijuana offense convictions (HB1500/SB5605), and removing the excise tax for medical marijuana patients (SB5234), were filed for the 2019 legislative session and sent to their respective committees. All bills officially begin their journey.

Spreading the love at CannaCon (January 31 – February 2)

Beginning of February – HB1974: Establishing the Washington cannabis commission and HB1995 direct sales bill were filed for the 2019 legislative session and sent to their respective committees. Hearings for bills moving through the legislature happening in earnest. Lots of time spent in Olympia.

February 24th – The Cannabis Alliance supported friends and members at The Terpfestival.

March 6th – The Cannabis Alliance participated at Kush Marketplace’s Live Spring Event.

Early March – We started digging in in earnest on SB5318/HB1237: The LCB Enforcement bill. This will kick off a series of meetings and discussions with the LCB, legislators and other organizations, working collaboratively to get the legislation into a place that really works to reform enforcement at the LCB.

Also in March, The Cannabis Alliance met with the new incoming Deputy Director at the LCB, Megan Duffy.

March 21 – The Alliance attended a TVW Fundraising Event to support an incredible resource while also mingling with legislators and other political influencers.

In late March, The Cannabis Alliance started meeting with The American Cancer Society in an attempt to educate them on the cannabis industry and how they may be able to support research.

April 7 – The Cannabis Alliance held a budtender workshop in Bellingham focused on sales skills. The educational seminar provided skills and tools that the budtenders could apply immediately in order to increase sales and customer retention. We will be holding a second workshop in Tacoma on Saturday, May 18th. More event info can be found HERE.

Interview with a Board Member

Keith Boyce

Keith has been a board member since the organization of The Cannabis Alliance upon the merging of four major industry groups back in January 2016. Keith is currently serving his second term. Keith is also the Western Regional Sales Manager for New Day Cannabis.

If you had unlimited resources, what is the one thing you as a board member would like to do for the population we serve?

I would definitely like to educate the general public. Whether it be through social events or advertisement campaigns. Because so many people still have this fear about cannabis. I think a lot of regulations and barriers to business stem from these fears. How can we break down these fears? Break down those myths?

What does the Cannabis Alliance do better than anyone else in our industry?

Bring people together. It’s a community, it’s a family, it really is. The name fits. It’s an alliance. Bringing everyone together so we can do what’s best for the industry.

What comes to mind when you think of a great evening out?

Good friends, wife, family, food, cannabis.

What does success mean to you in terms of your work as a board member?

I think it’s simply just supporting the organization in any way I can. Whether its helping with the events or just folding up some chairs. Anything I can do to take some of the weight off the staff’s shoulders.

If you could swap jobs with a staff member for a day, what would you do and why?

I’d switch with Lara (Executive Director), you know… because she needs a break. [laughter] You guys make so much happen and I really think I’d have an even greater appreciation for what you guys do if I got to see how you guys make things happen.

Meet The Board

Members of The Alliance

The Cannabis Alliance welcomes its newest members

• True Terpenes
• SDG Global Events
• Mosaic Insurance Alliance
• Capital City Cannabis Company
• Evergreen Market
• The High Road
• Ryan, Devin
• Worldwide Facilities, LLC
• PBS Inc. Professional Bookkeeping Services, Inc.
• Raven
• Wave Edibles
• Harmony Farms
• Cannabis City
• PAX
• Legacy Organics
• PriceKubecka, PLLC
• Smith, Sonya
• Uncle Ikes
• Family Plot LLC
• A& A Global Imports
• Loutone Consulting Group, LLC
• Clarity Farms
• Alliance 2020 Inc
• Esq-International
• Kelly Strategies
• The Reef
• Yakima Weed Co
• World of Weed
• Modern Root Woma
• Ropers Majeski
• ThingBlu
• Gipson, William
• Bellingham Budfest
• High End Farms
• Thank you to our Gold and Platinum members

Platinum

• Herban Legends
• The Law Office of Ryan R. Agnew, PS
• THC A Division of the High (The High Society)
• GTH (Gordon Thomas Honeywell) Law – Ryan Espegard
• The NCRMA
• CannGen Insurance Services LLC
• Eden Labs
• Legacy Organics
• Gold
• Forever Green Indoors
• Simply Mary Jane
• WeedTraqr
• Canna-Con
• Ganjapreneur
• Buddy’s WA
• Viridian Staffing
• Resource Innovation Institute (RII)
• Confidence Analytics
• Confident Cannabis
• Trail Blazin Productions
• Top Shelf Data
• CASP
• Northwest Cannabis
• Dockside
• Db3 Incorporated (Zoots)
• MainStem
• Discovery Bay Cannabis
• Arkley Accounting Group
• Royal Tree Gardens
• Testing Technologies
• Canna Ventures
• Skagit Organics
• Anatek Labs
• Brower, Rachael
• NW Stash House
• Forever Green Herbal
• Swifts Brands Inc
• True Terpenes
• Mosaic Insurance Alliance
• Worldwide Facilities, LLC
• PBS Inc. Professional Bookkeeping Services, Inc.
• Cannabis City
• Tamerlane Trading Co.
• Uncle Ikes
• Boveda
• Clarity Farms
• World of Weed

SPECIAL THANK YOU to 420WholesalePack and Confidence Analytics for stepping up their support from Gold to Platinum Level this past month!

Giving a Little Extra

Thank you to the following donors who gave a little extra by making a one time donation to The Alliance this past quarter

John Kingsbury
American Hash Makers
Testing Technologies
Dockside Cannabis